Refuse converters



D. C. LANTZ REFUSE CONVERTERS May 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheetl Filed July 18, 1957 INVENTO RV I D. GL0, niz BY ZQM ATTORNEYS May12,1959 D. c. L-ANTZ 2,886,122

' REFUSE CONVERTERS Filed July 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Unit aid-1H.

a RnFUsEcoNvERTEnsr Resouices, inc, "New-Castle, DeL', a corporation of nu-aware a ApplicationJuly118p1957,=Serial -No. 672,743 1 t t-Claims. (trams-:2

z lhetpreent invention reiates t retaseaenfiveners ef thettype used for reclaiming usable rnaterials' f-roin refuse. w t -1 The primary object of the invention is to provide an fiapparatus fofi reclaiming-usable rniaterim" trem rfuse. nAnother object bf the invention is to rovide an a' taken along the line 1--1 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal crosssection taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a refuse converter recovery unit constructed in accordance with the invention.

The unit 10 is used with a refuse retort (not shown) of the type in which the refuse is reduced to charcoal by indirectly applied heat and gives off a vaporous gas which enters the unit 10 through the conduit 11.

The unit 10 includes a circular bottom wall 12 and a cylindrical outer wall 13 secured thereto and extending V upwardly therefrom. A cylindrical inner wall 14 is arranged concentrically of the outer wall 13 and is secured to the bottom wall 12 by welding or other suitable means. Theinner wall 14 has a height substantially equal to the outer wall 13 and is provided with a perfo- 3 rate top wall 15 having a plurality of openings 16 extending therethrough.

A secondary cover 17 is spaced slightly above the perforate cover 15 and is supported thereabove by spacer blocks 18 extending between the perforate cover 15 and the secondary cover 17. The secondary cover 17 has a diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the perforate cover 15 and carries a peripheral depending flange 19 thereon which extends concentrically past the upper edge of the inner wall 14 in spaced relation thereto.

A gas tank, generally indicated at 20, comprises a cylindrical wall 21 having a diameter intermediate the diameter of the outer wall 13 and the inner wall 14.

mm' nmbanr,cam-as i n 'to l'an American v 2,886,122 Patn'teu Maw-F2;

zo hss *relati tr nareenicir-tep war 22 secured peripherally to the cylindrical wall 21 'falong a Z linc 23 parallel tofbut-s'pacd 'below thehopedgei24 of the yhiidrica1 wall 21. I 5 drainwalve 25-isfifiouiitedin newline-ren wal 21 above the line 23 communicating with thespaceabWe the conical wall '22* so that fluid "26 "heldin the area j deliheatd by" the upper surface of the conical itkall22 and me person of L the cylindrical 'wall "21 lying be- 10 tween the" line" 23 "andthe tbpedge 24 thfeof niay be -*dfaiiied= as de"sired.

Fluid is held in the area between'thefou'tei' will 13 n a; wi-11 14 ri'sing' 'to the height iriaieat'ed by line 27. nurai'n' eve en -extends through V d ain wall 14 and the cylindrical chamber 29 to conduct'lrqurds theredir to 1 a' d r'ztih "bo'itduit B-t eoaasnea by a" drain valve 25 32. i W A sedan '33-eiit waenwawm, the 15 and erpei'idicularly the secondary cover 17 to "'rovi'de a so end ar wa chmen- 33 46)prevent: surges i through the conduit 33.

The lower end of the conduit 33 has a four-way fitting 35 secured thereto to provide a connection for a drain valve 36 and oppositely disposed gas feed lines 37.

35 The gas feed lines 37 are respectively controlled by adjustable check valves 38 and hand shut-off valves 39.

The upper end of the cylindrical chamber 29 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed downwardly sloping imperforate bafiles 40, 41 arranged with a passage 42 extending therebetween. An annular outwardly and upwardly flaring shield 43 is arranged in encompassing relation to the cylindrical chamber 29 and is separated therefrom by spacers 44. Securing elements 45 extend through the shield 43, the spacers 44, and the cylindrical 45 chamber 29 to secure the shield 43 to the chamber 29.

An upwardly and inwardly sloping annular plate 46 has its medial portion secured to the upper outer terminal end of the shield 43, as can be best seen in Figure 1. A conical cap 47 is positioned parallel to the plate 46 in upward- 1y spaced relation and is mounted on spacers 48 extending therebetween and is held thereon by securing elements 49. The conical cap 47 has a circular bafile forming fold 50 arranged spaced from but adjacent to the apex of the conical cap 47. A pair of downwardly and inwardly 5 sloping baifles 51, 52 are secured to the conical cap 47 adjacent the fold 50 and are arranged with. their lower terminal ends in spaced relation to provide a passage 53 therebetween.

The pipe 11 extending from the refuse retort (not shown) terminates at 54 within the cylindrical chamber 29 so that the gas and vapors from the refuse will be exhausted into the chamber 29.

A drain line 56 extends through the bottom wall 12 communicating with the chamber 29 and has a hand control valve 57 attached thereto, as can be seen in Figure l. y

46 into the tank formed by the inner wall 14 and the perforate upper wall 15.

As the gas passes over the bafiles 40, 41, 51, 52 and around the plate 46 and cap 47 additional creosote tar values condense thereon and drain into thechamber 29 and out the drain lines 6.

Water in the unit between the outer wall 13 andlthe inner wall 14 seals the tank 20 and the depending flange 19 as well as cools the inner wall 14 to create additional wardly through the opening 16 in the perforate wall.,15

and bubbles through the water under the flange 19 and up into the tank 20.

The tank 20 floats on the water between the innerwall 14 and the outer wall 13 and moves upwardly and downin. The water 26 serves as a weight on thetank 20 to maintain the gas therein under pressure so that it may be dispensed through the pipe 33 at a desired pressure.

The unit 10 produces dry scrubbed gaswhich can be used to burn for heat, light, power, refrigeration, and

other purposes as desired. Additionally, the unit 10 produces creosote and creosote tar values of commercial importance.

- Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous struc-..u.:

tural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims. What is claimed is: 1. A refuse converter unit comprising an outer open top tank, a closed top inner tankconcentrically arranged wardly to accommodate the gas volume contained there- 4 with respect to said outer tank'and secured therein; said tanks being arranged in spaced relation and having water in the space between, a gas tank having an open bottom with the side walls thereof immersed in the water between said inner and outer tanks, said gas tank floating on said water and being sealed thereby, means on the upper end portion of said inner tank communicating said inner tank with said gas tank to permit flow of gas from said inner tank to said gas tank through a portion of the water between said inner and outer tanks, and means in said inner tank for separating and drying gas introduced therein.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means on the upper end of said inner tank includes a perforate top wall, .and a secondary cover arranged inspaced relation above said top wall and having a depending flange immersed in the Water between said inner and said outer tanks.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for separating gas comprises a chamber positioned in said inner tank and having a plurality of angularly related batfies positioned therein for condensing vapors fromsaid .4. A device as claimed in, claim 1 wherein said gas is provided witha liquid ballast tank on the upper end to vary References Cited in the file of this patent V v 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,792,070. Strunk May 14, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,516 Great Britain Apr. 11, 1902 

